This invention relates to a forced air circulation system for a protective helmet. The circulation system provides incoming air to a bottom region of the protective helmet and actively extracts exhaust air from a crown region of the helmet. This invention also relates to a protective helmet incorporating a forced air circulation system.
Protective safety helmets are worn in many recreational and racing activities. These include protective helmets for motorcycles, snowmobiles, and automobile racing. Helmets for these activities must typically conform to various safety standards set by the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) and the SNELL Memorial Foundation, for example. These standards include stringent impact protection, visibility, and, for certain applications, fire resistance requirements. For motorcycle use, the current SNELL standard is M2005. For automotive racing applications, the current standard is SA2005.
Full face models of these protective helmets include a full chin piece and visor and are designed to be substantially airtight. As a result, air circulation through the helmets can be problematic. When used in free-flowing environments, such as when riding a motorcycle, there may be sufficient airflow into the helmet. However, when used in substantially closed or dirty environments, it would be advantageous to provide a fresh supply of breathing air to the helmet interior.
Many helmets have been developed in attempts to solve this problem. However, current designs typically suffer from one or more problems.